Reviews & Ratings

2009 Dutton Goldfield Chardonnay "Rued Vineyard"

Winery: Dutton Goldfield

Vintage: 2009

Wine Name/Vineyard: "Rued Vineyard"

Wine Category: Chardonnay

Grape blend: 100% Chardonnay

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Green Valley

State or country: CA

Price: $45

Cases produced: 560

KWG Score: 90.3 (based on 3 reviews)

Ken's Wine Rating: Very Good+ (92)

Review date: June 22, 2011

Wine Review: This yellow colored Chardonnay opens with an attractive green melon bouquet with a hint of vanilla oak and honey. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced, and ultra smooth. The flavor profile is a tasty mild apple with a hint of melon and gentle oak. The finish is dry and pleasant. The panel suggested pairing this terrific Chard with oysters, Legal Sea Foods crab cakes, or grilled swordfish. Enjoy - KWGTP

Winemaker Notes: Every year you hear about the perfect vintage, this year I really mean it. The testament to this wine is that every time I take a bottle home to write the product sheet, I just drink it and don't bother to write. Multiple bottles in, and with serious external pressure here it is. An un-California-like pH of 3.34 after full malolactic helps give this wine minerality and focus along with its intense fruit and richness. The tangerine, lemon peel and sourball notes really come through, along with the defining lychee nut and guava characteristics of the vineyard. The wine leads in the nose with lemon zest and lychee nut, accented by tropical overtones and ginger barrel notes. There's so much going, yet it retains its focus, giving an alluring combination of being opulent and wound up at the same time. Let the wine open up in the glass and relish in the unfolding with each sip. This is a spectacular wine to pair with rich shellfish like lobster or crab or just as an aperitif on the deck with hard cheeses and avocado.

Buy it: Use 1000 Corks to find stores that sell Dutton Goldfield 2009 Rued Chardonnay.